The 5 Steps of the Résumé Process

THE 5 STEPS OF THE RÉSUMÉ PROCESS

STEP 1. GETTING TO KNOW YOU, YOUR HISTORY AND YOUR GOALS

We begin with our first face-to-face meeting at my office in Oakland, CA, where we will discuss your job history and the documents I will ask you to bring with you. You and I will discuss and draft the résumé together. Preparing for the first meeting.

STEP 2. WRITING THE RÉSUMÉ DRAFT

Taking the notes from our first session, I will type up a working draft to present to you during our second meeting.

STEP 3. REVIEWING THE RÉSUMÉ DRAFT

You return for the second appointment where we go over the résumé and make whatever changes are necessary. This is also a good time to write cover letters if you would like help with them.

A cover letter represents another important opportunity to sell you and your experience.

STEP 4. THE COVER LETTER

Studies have shown that a résumé is more likely to be read if a cover letter introduces you. It is a bit like a handshake. A cover letter can repeat information from the résumé, and it can bring in additional information to customize it to a specific employer, demonstrating your enthusiasm for and research in his/her company as well as your attention to detail.

The cover letters you and I will construct together can be templates containing information to be tweaked for each job application.

STEP 5. THE THANK YOU NOTE

That same point also applies to the thank you note that you send after you have completed the interview. E-mail is fine and considerably faster than US Mail. However, a handwritten note promptly sent through the mail demonstrates personal grace on the sender’s part. It’s a good habit to get into; handwritten notes never go out of style and people remember them.

To learn more, click the “Contact” link at the bottom of the page to schedule an appointment with Pam to discuss your custom résumé.